This year’s 4,421 photography competition submissions differed from previous years in a multitude of ways. The addition of student work as a dedicated category added new creative voices to the mix. The increasing use of smartphone cameras and app filters and the inclusion of greater cultural and social diversity in mainstream media influenced both style and content.

“I was struck by the range of photos entered in the contest, from highly produced professional images to simple, amateur pictures,” said juror Jim Fiscus.

“I was pleasantly surprised by the amazing diversity. People of color were well represented,” said juror Lisa Lytton.

“It was quite easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of work. But this just made the quality work stand out more,” said juror Mitch Markussen. “We were all looking for ‘the interrupters,’ work that stopped us midthought.”

"The sheer craftsmanship and creativity of people’s work was inspiring. It made me want to come up with ideas just to use what they’d already shot."